


Mom

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: Around Every Corner [4]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Family Feels, Feels, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 04:22:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14156619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: Mac hadn'tmeantto start co-parenting Riley with Jack. (Post-ep for 2x18)





	Mom

**Author's Note:**

> There were seriously like four other things I should have spent my evening writing instead of this. But Mac's mom game in 2x18 knocked me dead, and I had no choice in the matter.

Riley found Mac in the hallway of Phoenix HQ, the good version of the "I know what you did" look on her face. "You gave Jack the 'she's a grown-up and you need to respect her choices' talk, didn't you?"

Mac grinned. Clearly, Jack had taken his advice. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She gave him an amused look. "Sure. Because Jack's great at working through his emotions maturely all on his own."

"Hey, he gets there." Mac kept his voice light, years of practice helping him ignore the soft, warm Jack-related feelings in his chest. "He's just usually better with other people's emotions than he is his own."

"Yeah." Riley's expression softened as well. "He did a pretty good job with it, actually. He didn't even say 'I told you so' when I said I didn't think Ryan and I were going to last long."

"Text guy?" When she nodded, he gave her a knowing look. "I'm guessing Billy had something to do with that?"

She grinned at him. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Then she stretched upward to press a kiss against his cheek. "But thanks, Mom."

Mac's chest clenched in a way that he knew was completely inappropriate for just a joke. "Hey, I was the one arguing that you were a grown-up."

"And I'm pretty sure you also mentioned something about how he shouldn't 'withhold his approval,' because Jack doesn't come up with stuff like that on his own." Her expression softened. "I'm serious, Mac. I see it, even if he doesn't."

Mac swallowed. It wasn't... He hadn't _meant_ to start co-parenting Riley. He just... Jack's problems were his problems, whether it was some old case from the CIA days or trying to relate better to the person he loved like a daughter. 

Even more than that, he wanted Jack happy. Out of all the things he'd done to try to make that happen, of all the things he was willing to do, helping smooth things between him and Riley was _easy_.

She patted the same cheek she'd kissed, enough understanding on her face to suggest she could read him a hell of a lot better than he'd like. "Jack's lucky to have you." Then she grinned again. "It works out pretty well for me, too. You hear a lot of bad things about stepmoms, but I think I landed myself a good one."

His chest was still tight as he watched her walk down the hallway, especially when he realized there was someone coming up behind him. There was a quiet deliberateness to the movement that meant it had to be Jack in serious mode, and the only reason he'd be in that mode here and now is if he'd overheard the last part of the conversation. 

When Jack walked up to stand bedside him, Mac made himself inhale. "Teenagers these days." He tried to make his voice light again, but he was only marginally successful this time. "Always joking."

"Yeah." Jack's voice was so neutral. It hurt something inside Mac to even hear it like that. "Doesn't have to mean anything."

They stood like that for a moment in silence, gazes fixed on a completely empty hallway. Then Jack let out a breath. "Unless you want it to."

Mac jerked his head to stare at Jack. His partner, best friend and a hell of a lot of other things Mac had never actually said out loud was still focused on that invisible point at the other end of the hallway, jaw tight. He was holding himself absolutely still, like a bomb would go off of he breathed wrong, and it hit Mac that Jack was _scared_ right now. 

Mac's heart started pounding just as Jack glanced over at him, eyes quickly escaping back to the safe space. "I've never been good at keeping people. Maybe it's something wrong with me, I don't know." He hesitated, and when he spoke again his voice was rough with emotion. "What matters is that I realized a long time ago that, even in a life of dumbass moves, walking away from you would be the worst mistake I could ever possibly make. So I just closed my eyes and held on as hard as I could."

Mac stopped breathing as Jack swallowed. "I'm fine going on just like we have been for the rest of my life, Mac. We can forget I said any of this, and I'll still be the happiest guy in the entire damn world."

That was Jack -- always willing to sacrifice so someone he cared about didn't have to do it. This, though... this was no sacrifice.

This was a _gift_. 

But Mac had never been great with words, not when they really mattered, and he knew he couldn't get it wrong here. So he just curled his fingers in Jack's shirt, tugged him around, and kissed him. 

It was really just a press of lips at first, but then Jack's tension seemed to melt all at once. He opened up to let Mac in, the kiss softening and deepening into something that made his head swim. Jack's hands were on his hips, fingers curling in like he was fighting the urge to yank Mac closer, so Mac was the one to close the distance for him. 

When they broke apart, Jack looked like he'd woken up to the world's greatest Christmas tree. "I take it you went with option b," he managed, voice thick.

"Yeah." Mac's own voice was a little shaky, happiness leaving him unsteady. "If that's okay with you."

"I'd say that's probably the understatement of the century," Jack breathed, both of them leaning in for another kiss.

Before they could make it, they were cut off by a shout from further down the hallway. "You guys are lucky I'm old enough not to find kissing gross," she called out, grinning at them both. "Or I would be seriously traumatized right now. No child should be forced to watch her parents making out."

Jack groaned, leaning his forehead against Mac's. "You are so grounded right now, young lady!"

Mac just laughed. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [original fiction,](https://jennifferwardell.wixsite.com/mybooks) my [blog,](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


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